I just purchased these this week. An open box new pair of the Peregrines 8x42 made in Germany, and the newest model Bushnell Elite ED 10x42 made in Japan.
Both pairs are a nice package, both with objective covers that attatch to the binocular. The steiner actually clips into the housing, the bushnell is a loop around the frame. I could see losing the elite covers with their set up. Both come with nice neck straps and semi rigid case. Both have a rubber armouring, the steiner has some ridges at the top whereas the elite is smooth. Both are very comfortable to hold and have some kind of indentations on the bottom of the barrels for your thumbs.
The diopter adjustment on the elite is in front of the focusing knob. Not sure how easy it would be to knock it out of whack while fumbling for the focus with gloves on, the peregrine is on the left ocular housing.
Both pairs are adequate in regards to eye relief with the glasses I wear, the peregrine's eye rubber eye cups fold down, the elite has the twist out eye cups.
I have used a japanese made bushnell legend 8x42 for years, and loved it. I tried the new swarovski EL rangefinding binoc this fall and it was the first piece of glass that really impressed me towards dark.I also tried the vortex viper 8.5x50 this fall. It is a nice binocular as well.
The focus on the steiner does seem a bit fast up close, the image is very crisp but it seems like the elite has more depth in focus at the same time than the peregrine does, but the peregrine is very sharp with what it has in focus. My wife likes the peregrine the best, she finds it very clear when compared to the elite and my old legend. I do not find much of a difference at all. Maybe my eyes are different or maybe I can focus better than she can but she definately picked the steiner as the clearest.
The size of all three, as well as the weight seem very close, within a couple ounces I would say without looking up the specs.
In last light I do not see a huge difference between them . The new elite and the peregrine are slightly brighter than my old legends but not night and day difference. Colours may seem a bit sharper in the new pairs, hard to judge much for colours in Edmonton in December. If I get a clear evening I will check out some stars and the moon and see how they fare.
I have read some good reviews on the new elite ED, and it seems it is a big improvement over the elite E2.
The steiners originally retailed around 1300.00, I paid less than half of that for these. I paid a bit more for the elite ED than I did years ago for my legends.
Both new pairs seem very nice, not sure if I will keep both but when spring comes I hope to do a better evaluation of them with the spring colours. Right now everything is quite dreary with all the snow.
Both pairs are a nice package, both with objective covers that attatch to the binocular. The steiner actually clips into the housing, the bushnell is a loop around the frame. I could see losing the elite covers with their set up. Both come with nice neck straps and semi rigid case. Both have a rubber armouring, the steiner has some ridges at the top whereas the elite is smooth. Both are very comfortable to hold and have some kind of indentations on the bottom of the barrels for your thumbs.
The diopter adjustment on the elite is in front of the focusing knob. Not sure how easy it would be to knock it out of whack while fumbling for the focus with gloves on, the peregrine is on the left ocular housing.
Both pairs are adequate in regards to eye relief with the glasses I wear, the peregrine's eye rubber eye cups fold down, the elite has the twist out eye cups.
I have used a japanese made bushnell legend 8x42 for years, and loved it. I tried the new swarovski EL rangefinding binoc this fall and it was the first piece of glass that really impressed me towards dark.I also tried the vortex viper 8.5x50 this fall. It is a nice binocular as well.
The focus on the steiner does seem a bit fast up close, the image is very crisp but it seems like the elite has more depth in focus at the same time than the peregrine does, but the peregrine is very sharp with what it has in focus. My wife likes the peregrine the best, she finds it very clear when compared to the elite and my old legend. I do not find much of a difference at all. Maybe my eyes are different or maybe I can focus better than she can but she definately picked the steiner as the clearest.
The size of all three, as well as the weight seem very close, within a couple ounces I would say without looking up the specs.
In last light I do not see a huge difference between them . The new elite and the peregrine are slightly brighter than my old legends but not night and day difference. Colours may seem a bit sharper in the new pairs, hard to judge much for colours in Edmonton in December. If I get a clear evening I will check out some stars and the moon and see how they fare.
I have read some good reviews on the new elite ED, and it seems it is a big improvement over the elite E2.
The steiners originally retailed around 1300.00, I paid less than half of that for these. I paid a bit more for the elite ED than I did years ago for my legends.
Both new pairs seem very nice, not sure if I will keep both but when spring comes I hope to do a better evaluation of them with the spring colours. Right now everything is quite dreary with all the snow.
